Said Goodbye to DirecTV
I got an e-mail from DirecTV saying I get Sunday Ticket free for being a loyal customer.
I was going to go ahead and take it, but before I did I needed to clean up some other stuff with them. First was what I pay every single month to watch a few TV shows. I used to have the Genie DVR and 3 other TV's hooked up. In an attempt to save money I had previously taken 2 TV's off the package and then went in an got a smaller viewing package. But no matter what I did, my bill seemed to hover around the same amount.
So, I call them up today and take a third TV off and then reduced my TV package to their lowest offering. o I look through my equipment charges and there is a HD charge, a DVR charge and a Genie DVR charge. I told them since I only have one tv hooked up I shouldn't be charged for the Genie because I couldn't watch the DVR stuff on any other TV because I didn't have a box attatched to them.
They said there was nothing they could do, so I told them to take me to customer retention. Now, she also said there was nothing she could do to get rid of the charge. So I ask if there is another DVR I can get other than the Genie. She says yes we can send you out our regular DVR for $99. I asked if I owned the DVR if I had to pay for it? No, she say, its just a charge. So I said, You charge me $99 and I get to pay $10 a month DVR fee? Yes!
I told her that would be like paying cash for a car and then every month you still had to send the car dealership a fee to be able to drive it. First they charge you for the equipment, then they charge you again to use it. Now, I know it's always been that way, but in the days of streaming video, you'd think they'd come up with a better plan.
The funny thing is they will offer you HBO, Starz, Cinemax for free but they won't cut your bill. I'm tired of paying through the nose to watch just a few channels.
So, I told her to just disconnect me since I wasn't going to pay for a service I couldn't use nor would I pay for equipment up front if I wasn't going to own it.
She said, you've been with us since 2002, are you sure you want to leave? I said, Are you sure you want a fee that is relatively small to drive me to the competition? Apparently she did.
So, now I'm going to try out some of the streaming services for free then decide on one. It will cost me way less than half of what my bill used to be.
Any thoughts on what is a better streaming service? Sling, PSVue, Hulu, DirecTV Now? Those are just the main ones out there.
What is the minimum internet speed required for 1080 playback on these devices? Out here in the suburb of a corn field we haven't been bestowed with the highest data rates. We are a little up and down at times, but I think we are between 20-28 Mbps most of the time. My internet is free, with uncapped speed because I have a repeater tower on my property. I'm sure I'm good with the speed. But questioning thinking of my neighbors who are paying for speeds at half that rate. Where's the bottom end to make this functional option?
@"purpleloki" said:@"minny65" said: Is p@"purpleloki" said:I dumped cable 7 years ago. I have a Roku box and watch Hulu plus , Netflix and Amazon Prime. I have an channel called Plex where I can send my downloaded Viking games or movies etc. and watch them on the big screen. F*@& cable or any other paid service, don't miss it a bit. Is plex just something you download and watch on the computer only or can you send to the TV? I am not very tech savy. I have the jailbroken amazon firestick which is OK but still has it's issues - lost or slow streaming. I was going to try it to watch a Viking game and not buy the ticket this year but I am worried that it will drive me crazy.So back to Plex - do you watch the Viking games (do you get preseason) on the computer and are their any major issues or is it similar to having the ticket?
Thanks
Plex is just a free channel you sign up for and allows you to send from your computer to your tv. Great free program!
Basically, Plex is software that you install on your PC which lets you stream media that is stored on your PC to anywhere, by using the Plex app that is available on Roku, Apple/Android devices, PlayStation, XBox, smart TVs, etc. So if you want to download or rip movies, TV shows, etc. to your PC, Plex will allow you to view that media anywhere that has an internet connection, assuming your PC is also hooked up to the internet and has decent upload speeds (at least 3 mbps).What really works great for us is taking our Roku stick with us when we travel to hotels (or even the in-laws), and plugging it into the HDMI port on the TV. Then, using wifi and the Plex app, we are able to access all of our media at home from the hotel, and skip paying those outrageous hotel movie rental fees. We can also use the Roku stick to watch Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix as well when traveling, which has been great for us and our kids.
Like a poster mentioned earlier, Plex just started offering a Live TV and DVR service that I hope to use for recording Vikings games this fall. However, it will only work with TV that you already receive, whether that is over the air TV or though a cable subscription. I live in Sioux Falls so I already get the games over my local broadcast channels but Plex will allow me to save them to my PC's hard drive for viewing anytime, anywhere that I want.
@"PapaScott" said:@"greediron" said: So what are the Kodi sticks? I see they are a streaming stick, but living out of Viking area, can it be setup to get MN stations?
Kodi is an open source software that can be run on a variety devices. You can access virtualy anything you can think of. If you want me stations look into a slingbox and find someone to allow you to install it in their home
was looking at that with my fam back in ND. But internet speeds aren't the greatest in the rural areas, so I didn't.
@"Riphawkins" said: I got an e-mail from DirecTV saying I get Sunday Ticket free for being a loyal customer.I've been with DirecTV for like 16 years and I've never gotten an email for free anything. I'd take it.
@"Proudhorn" said:@"Riphawkins" said: I got an e-mail from DirecTV saying I get Sunday Ticket free for being a loyal customer.I've been with DirecTV for like 16 years and I've never gotten an email for free anything. I'd take it.
Good to see you Proud!Skol bros...
Roku + Sling + local HD antenna for free local TV. Trophy wife is wanting to add Netflix. I have cut my monthly bills by hundreds...so far. Not done figuring this thing out yet.
I would like to try all these things, but can't get "locals" via antenna, and the cost of fast enought Internet out here would be as much the dish.
@"Proudhorn" said:@"Riphawkins" said: I got an e-mail from DirecTV saying I get Sunday Ticket free for being a loyal customer.I've been with DirecTV for like 16 years and I've never gotten an email for free anything. I'd take it.
Hey Proud. I have been with them about the same length of time and they have never mailed me any free offers either. I could call and get free stuff in the past but no more.
I think the DVR service fee has something to do with taking content off multiple channels at once or some such malarkey. But if they are actually required to charge that, why don't they explain that to us like mature adults?
@"JimmyinSD" said: I would like to try all these things, but can't get "locals" via antenna, and the cost of fast enought Internet out here would be as much the dish.
I think it's time for an initiative by the Federal Government much like the Rural Electrification Act to get high speed internet to every household in the US that wants it for a decent price.
@"Montana Tom" said: Roku + Sling + local HD antenna for free local TV. Trophy wife is wanting to add Netflix. I have cut my monthly bills by hundreds...so far. Not done figuring this thing out yet.Same setup as mine, with the addition of the Tablo OTA DVR. Sling is nice in that you can watch anywhere on your smart phone.
Jimmy, I had tried what I thought were HD antennas previously, and it looks like technology has changed dramatically. This is what my wireless internet supplier recommended for free HD TV...the difference, is that you either get the free channels or you don't. No snow.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BRXW74/ref=asc_df_B001BRXW745107651/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B001BRXW74&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194024095585&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11821377864700856813&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021425&hvtargid=pla-500513093432
@"Proudhorn" said:@"Riphawkins" said: I got an e-mail from DirecTV saying I get Sunday Ticket free for being a loyal customer.I've been with DirecTV for like 16 years and I've never gotten an email for free anything. I'd take it.
my wife was usually able to get Sunday Ticket for at least half price and a lot of times for free. I am just tired of paying $100 a month for stuff i dont watch all year long just so i can watch the Vikings.There has to be a better way. also, for the last 3 years ive been on shift work and only get one actual weekend (Sunday included) off a month.
So a lot of the time I am recording to game or trying to catch some of it at work. it just didn't seem like a good deal anymore.
We'll see, the last time i wasnt able to watch every single game either live or recorded was back in '98. Hopefully we have that kind of year with a better ending.
@"1VikesFan" said: It really sucks, the days of negotiating with Directv are a thing of the past. AT&T doesn't give a rats ass about customer loyalty or anything like that. I've been reading thru this thread and thinking about options. I've grown so used to Sunday Ticket and the Red Zone that I'm hesitant to change but I'm getting really fed up with the currents costs which just keep going up.
They're still negotiating; I've had DTV since 2001 and NFL Ticket since 2007. Last year I received NFL Ticket for free (plus other discounts) and this year they reduced it from $46.99 x 6 months to $16 x 6 months.
Just have to be a little patient.
@"BStads" said:@"1VikesFan" said: It really sucks, the days of negotiating with Directv are a thing of the past. AT&T doesn't give a rats ass about customer loyalty or anything like that. I've been reading thru this thread and thinking about options. I've grown so used to Sunday Ticket and the Red Zone that I'm hesitant to change but I'm getting really fed up with the currents costs which just keep going up.
They're still negotiating; I've had DTV since 2001 and NFL Ticket since 2007. Last year I received NFL Ticket for free (plus other discounts) and this year they reduced it from $46.99 x 6 months to $16 x 6 months.Just have to be a little patient.
That was last year. I've talked to them several times already this year...good luck. Hope you get your discount.
@"1VikesFan" said:@"BStads" said:@"1VikesFan" said: It really sucks, the days of negotiating with Directv are a thing of the past. AT&T doesn't give a rats ass about customer loyalty or anything like that. I've been reading thru this thread and thinking about options. I've grown so used to Sunday Ticket and the Red Zone that I'm hesitant to change but I'm getting really fed up with the currents costs which just keep going up.
They're still negotiating; I've had DTV since 2001 and NFL Ticket since 2007. Last year I received NFL Ticket for free (plus other discounts) and this year they reduced it from $46.99 x 6 months to $16 x 6 months.Just have to be a little patient.
That was last year. I've talked to them several times already this year...good luck. Hope you get your discount.
i already did get a discount. I never expect to get it free,
but they've reduced it from $281 to $99 this year with a
simple phone call.I didnt even ask for Retentions.
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